Steelers Call For Suspension Of Vontaze Burfict For Hit On Antonio Brown

The Steelers believe that the Cincinnati Bengals linebacker and public enemy no.1 in Pittsburgh Vontaze Burfict should be suspended for trying to harm wide receiver Antonio Brown on a late hit to his helmet.

On Sunday, after a four-game suspension for violating the league's performance-enhancing drug policy, Burfict came back to the field against his favorite rival, the Pittsburgh Steelers. But after three quarters played, the linebacker was already involved in another controversy, when he hit Brown in the head while trying to help on a tackle. The Steelers’ receiver was down for a moment and had to be evaluated by the medical staff, keeping him out of the game for several plays. The officials didn’t call the hit a penalty.

Various Steelers players, however, have suggested that Bengals’ defender should get suspended and the NFL should take action on the matter.

"That's pathetic," Steelers right tackle Marcus Gilbert said, regarding Burfict hit on Brown, "The NFL has to do something about that. A guy like that, going out there intentionally trying to hurt people, there's no need for that kind of playing in this league. It's sad. One of these days he'll grow up."

“He should be suspended for that hit. We'll see. But he's too good of a football player to be missing games like that."

According to NFL Insider Ian Rapoport, the 28-year-old LB is not expected to be suspended for his actions on Sunday, but the league is reviewing three hits Bengals’ player made during the game—including when his elbow struck Brown’s head—for a potential fine.

"It's tough to see AB get hit like that," guard David DeCastro said about the third quarter hit on Antonio Brown. "With all the emphasis on quarterback safety, what about a guy like AB: A superstar he is in this league, how much money he's getting paid, how much he means to this team? A cheap shot like that, I thought was unnecessary. ... If they want to talk about making this game safer, maybe they will do something. Or maybe they will put in a new rule that no one is going to call when it matters. Maybe it's a PR stunt."

Tackle Alejandro Villanueva pointed out that the only thing that those types of blows do is hurt the game.

"That hit on A.B, it's unnecessary,” Villanueva said, “It's bad for the game. It's hurting the National Football League. It's hurting fans that are deciding if they want to let their kids play football. It's injuring players in the NFL that are going to have consequences after football. I think there's no place for that behavior. For him to come out and continue to talk and continue to make this game something more than a football game, it's very unfortunate."

The Steelers signal-caller Ben Roethlisberger added on the radio show The Fan that what really bothered him was that Burfict threatened Pittsburgh wide receiver No.2 JuJu Smith-Schuster the very next play after knocking Brown out of the game.

"That very next play ... he's standing there,” Ben said, “points to JuJu and says, 'You're next.' To me, that's completely uncalled for and that's where I think I had the biggest issue."

“He hits A.B., then, literally, as I am under center for the next play, he points at JuJu and says, ‘You’re next,’ How do you allow that stuff?”